


A Family Man

by Writer_Geekgirl



Series: Castiel and Dean: An AU Love Story [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Children, Destiel Promptober, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 11:50:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16174493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writer_Geekgirl/pseuds/Writer_Geekgirl
Summary: Dean and Sam travel to an alternate universe in which Castiel is a single dad with two small children.This work is part of the Destiel Promptober in which there is a different AU theme for each day in October. The AU for the day is Children.





	A Family Man

Dean hated friggin' witches. He hated the fact they used hex bags with bones in them, he hated that they killed bunnies, but most of all he hated that they were humans who chose to do bad things. Most times, it wasn't a vampire's or werewolf's fault they became evil; they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and got turned into a monster. A vengeful spirit didn't start out vengeful; they just turned that way the longer they were attached to something and couldn't move on to an afterlife. But a witch -- they willing made the choice to use dark magic. He had little sympathy for them.

He tailed the woman he pegged as the perpetrator in a recent wave of deaths in Pontiac, Illinois. He always felt odd in Pontiac because that was where he met Castiel and where he found Sam after being in Hell. Meeting Castiel had been awesome; reuniting with Sam while he had started drinking demon blood, not so much.

As he turned a corner of a building, a sudden wave of nausea and dizziness hit him. He collapsed to his knees. The air felt charged around him. He shook his head, where he had previously seen a building, there was now a city park and playscape. He stared at his arm which was now encased in his dad's leather jacket that he had lost years previously. "Son of a bitch," he muttered to himself. He stood up and brushed his knees off. He fished in his pocket for his phone and was dismayed when he found it was one of the flip phones he and Sam had used years previously. He dialed Sam's number and was relieved when Sam answered, "It's happening again, Dean." A few weeks previously, Sam and Dean had slipped unexpectedly into another universe without explanation. Now, it appeared it happened again.

Dean said, "I'm on the corner of 4th and Elm. There's a park here. Let's meet up there and figure out what the hell is happening this time."

"I think I can find it. Hang tight, Dean. Be there in a few."

Dean wandered into the park. Castiel was also hunting the witch, but they used those flip phones before he knew Castiel. He was wary of praying for Castiel, because if they had indeed slipped back in time a few years; the Castiel of this time would be the hardnosed, stuck-up dick that he was when Dean first met him and not the warm, caring version that they had now.

As he neared the benches, he saw Castiel sitting on one, surveying the playground vigilantly. Castiel was wearing his familiar tan trench coat, but he didn't look like the tired, battle-work Castiel that had gone through the last several apocalypses together. Dean stared at him for a moment. As if he was a magnet, Castiel turned to face him and their eyes met. They stared silently at each other for a long moment, before a young tween girl ran up to Castiel and said something to him. He turned and listened intently to her before nodding. Dean whispered to himself, "Claire." This was probably Jimmy and not Castiel at all. Dean watched as the blonde girl returned to a toddler playing in a sandbox. 

Dean wanted to walk away. He tried to force himself to walk away, but he headed in Jimmy's direction like a moth to a candle. He sat down on an adjacent bench. He didn't talk to Jimmy but just sat at the bench staring in no particular direction.

Dean was startled when the man in the trench coat said, "These people, they’re all our Father’s creations. They’re works of art."

Dean took in a deep breath and froze for a moment, remembering a conversation he and Castiel had had in a children's playground shortly after they met. Dean turned slowly to the man and said, "They are all special in their own way. My name is Dean. Dean Winchester. Are you Jimmy Novak? I think we might have a common friend; I recognize you from a photograph." Dean scanned the man's face for any sign of recognition.

"No, I'm Castiel. Jimmy was my twin brother. He passed away a few years ago."

Dean worried his bottom lip with his teeth, not really knowing what to say. 

The blonde girl walked up, carrying the toddler. "Uncle Castiel, Jack is eating sand again. I want to go on the swings. Can you take him?"

Castiel said, "Ok, Claire. It's my turn to entertain him now. Come here, Jack." He pulled the clingy toddler off Claire. He kissed the boy's forehead and hugged him tightly.

Dean looked enthralled as Jack wiggled out of Castiel's arms and on to the bench next to him.

"Truck?" Jack looked up at Castiel expectantly. Castiel pulled a toy truck out of the deep pockets of his trench coat. Jack giggled and started making roaring noises as he used his side of the park bench as a highway.

Castiel smiled at Dean, "He makes adult conversation a little difficult."

As Dean stared at Jack, he could tell that he would grow to look very much like the Jack from Dean's reality. He asked hesitantly, "Are you their guardian?"

"Yeah. Jimmy and Amelia were killed a little over five years ago. Claire came to live with me. Being an instant dad was not the easiest thing in the world. Claire really wanted a little sister. Ummm, that proved to be difficult for a single man. So, my best friend, Kelly, offered to be a surrogate. Thus, we got Jack here. I didn't know I wanted to be a parent until I had Claire. Now, I can't imagine life without it."

"You're a good dad. I can tell. I raised my little brother and I had a stepson for a while, but I'm not sure I'll ever really, truly be father material." Dean thought of how his Castiel was with Claire and Jack. In a way, it was a shame that their Jack came out all grown up because his Castiel would be a hell of a parent to a small kid. He inwardly laughed as he imagined Castiel trying to explain the birds and the bees to a young Jack.

"I was a workaholic before the kids. I thought I had to stay on mission at work. Totally lacked any kind of social life. It's amazing how much having a family changes you. I always felt sorry for Jimmy when Claire was little, because I was advancing in my career and going places, while Jimmy seemed stuck with a job he hated, a mortgage to pay, and a baby to take care of. Now, I can't imagine my life without Claire and Jack."

Dean sat quietly on the park bench, watching Jack use his father's leg as a mountain for his truck. 

After a few minutes, Castiel asked, "Please forgive me if I'm being forward, but what are you doing sitting in a park on a Saturday? You could be any number of places more interesting for an unattached man." 

Dean snorted, "I'm waiting for my slow as molasses brother. You're good company. And you got cute kids."

Castiel gave him a long appraisingly look, "What are the statistical odds of you knowing about my brother, Jimmy?"

"Accident do sometimes happen accidentally, Cas." 

"What did you call me?" Castiel's eyebrows furrowed together.

Dean shifted nervously, "Castiel is a bit of a mouthful. Cas is easier." Dean tried to remember the first time he had called his Castiel, Cas. It just happened, and Castiel never complained. 

"Kelly is the only other one that ever called me Cas."

"It fits you," Dean smiled.

"I think your brother is here. At least a very tall man is jogging this way with a very determined look on his face." Castiel wrapped an arm around Jack protectively.

As soon as he was close, Sam said, "Hey, Cas. Who's the kid?"

Castiel tensed, "How did you know my name?"

Sam looked at Dean confused, who shook his head quickly.

Castiel picked up Jack and walked away quickly in Claire's direction.

Dean growled angrily, "Couldn't you tell he's not our Cas?"

Sam snapped, "Well, I don't have a degree in Castielogy like you, jerk."

"Bitch. Have you ever seen my Castiel that relaxed and smiling?"

"So, he's your Castiel now?" Sam gave him a knowing look. 

"Shut up," Dean said grumpily.

He watched Castiel start to walk toward the crosswalk with Jack balanced on one hip and holding Claire's hand as she walked beside him. Midway through the intersection, Jack dropped his truck and started to cry. Dean started to jog in the direction of the crosswalk. Castiel handed Jack to Claire and turned around to retrieve the truck. 

Dean looked in horror as a truck came barreling down the street, heading towards Castiel as he bent over to pick up the truck. Dean dashed into the street and pushed Castiel out of the way of the truck. The truck clipped him and sent Dean into a pile of garbage cans. His vision faded and the world went dark.

He woke up to Castiel saying, "Dean, are you ok?"

Dean gasped, "I'm fine. Did the truck hit you?" He opened his eyes to look at the concerned angel hovering worriedly over him. "You're real Cas."

Castiel said, "I think he might have a concussion, Sam."

Dean struggled to sit up, holding his head. "You tell him, Sam."

Sam cleared his voice, "We… fell through a rift or something. In it, you were a human with two kids. You almost got hit by a truck, but Dean pushed you out of the way."

"He got injured saving my life?"

Dean groaned, "Other you would have been hurt by a truck. Real you would probably hurt the truck."

Castiel extended two fingers to Dean's forehead and sent a surge of grace through him.

"Thanks, Cas."

Castiel let out a small grunt before asking interestedly, "Did the kids have names?"

Dean looked up at him, "Claire and Jack."

Sam said, "Not too far from the truth. You kind of do have two kids."

The corner of Castiel's mouth quirked up a little for form a small smile, "I think the three of us have two kids. Claire and Jack are multiple people's full-time jobs."

Dean said impetuously, "Wouldn't it be nice to have a small kid though, you know. You could take them to the park, go play ball with them, take them to Disneyland, go fishing…"

Sam supplied, "Potty train them, go to parent-teacher conferences, have them scratch the Impala, go to McDonalds three times a week because they have a cool toy…"

Castiel gave Dean a thoughtful look. "I never knew you thought about such things."

Dean snorted, "I didn't think I'd live to be 40 either. But here we are."

Sam shook his head, "We got to go find the witch."

Castiel responded, "I took care of her while you two were playing with me."

Sam said, "Hey, it was Dean that was playing with you. All, I did was say hi."

Dean glanced between them as he climbed to his feet, "Have I ever made you watch _Three Men and a Baby_?"


End file.
